04/08/09

Week 14 - 02 April 2009, Al Abraq

Simon Price and I decided to head west to Al Abraq to check what the southern winds had brought in after some good rains, by desert standards. It also gave me the opportunity to test a 300mm f/2.8 kindly lent to me by Abdulrahman which I coupled to a 1.4 converter. Images by Mike Pope

A Common Buzzard just before the oasis that had spent the night roosting on the deck

There were numerous Common Redstarts present, but not many of the samamisicus race

We came across a male Semi collared Flycatcher that was catching emerging insects in the area where we parked our car

Many Hoopoes are still present in most locations in Kuwait

Small passerines are still dominated by Lesser Whitethroats, but in between them we found Menetries Warbler

and Orphean Warbler which was quite a challenge to photograph

Red throated Pipits are still the predominant pipit during this time of migration

A calling Cuckoo alerted us to its presence. This is the first time I have heard one calling here in Kuwait

For some reason I was challenged by what I think is a Great Reed Warbler, as it's jizz didnt quite fit the bird itself

A Western Reef Heron looked quite out of place in the middle of the desert